William James Kirkpatrick was an Irish-born American hymnwriter. He partnered with John R. Sweney to produce and publish over 1,000 gospel hymn songs and over sixty hymnal books.

John Robson Sweney was an American composer from Pennsylvania. He was a professor of music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy for twenty-five years and collaborated with William J. Kirkpatrick to produce and publish over 1,000 gospel hymn songs and over sixty hymnal books. His most popular and widely known hymn is "Beulah Land".